The nutritional value of white rice is inferior to that of brown rice and standard rice. Grain processing involves proper milling to remove impurities and bran. However, vitamins and dietary fiber are mostly found in the germ and bran of grains. Therefore, the more refined the rice and flour, the fewer vitamins they contain, and their nutritional value is less than that of brown rice and coarse flour. If rice and flour are processed too coarsely, the resulting food will have poor sensory properties and reduce the rate of digestion and absorption. According to economic and nutritional requirements, China generally processes rice into "92 rice" (i.e., 50 kg of brown rice is processed into 46 kg of white rice) and wheat into "85 flour" (i.e., 50 kg of wheat is processed into 42.5 kg of flour), which is the standard flour. From a nutritional perspective, standard rice and standard flour better meet the body's needs.
Frequent consumption of white rice and flour is not conducive to health. Many families that regularly consume white rice, crystal rice, and fine white flour are prone to vitamin B1 deficiency, which can lead to beriberi (polyneuritis). Mothers who breastfeed and consume white rice and flour for a long time can also cause their infants to develop beriberi. In addition, the bran and coarse bran of white rice and flour are significantly reduced, and the dietary fiber in them is also reduced. A lack of dietary fiber in the diet is a direct or indirect cause of diseases such as colon cancer, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Therefore, the saying "eating rice with some bran is good for your health" makes sense. How to choose healthy staple foods:
1. Do not blindly trust white rice and flour. Choose standard rice and standard flour, which are in line with human health needs.
2. The staple foods on the dining table should also be a mix of coarse and fine grains, with a variety of varieties. Families that prefer white rice and flour might as well add some coarse grains and miscellaneous grains.
3. When cooking staple foods, it is also necessary to prevent the loss of nutrients. Rice should not be washed too many times, avoid scrubbing hard, and avoid washing under running water or with hot water.
4. When cooking dry rice, avoid making "捞饭" (drained rice). When eating noodles and dumplings, don't forget to drink the noodle soup. This can effectively prevent the loss of nutrients in staple foods.